narrative flow
Plot's forward motion
Narrative flow is the quality of a story moving smoothly from one moment to the next, carrying the reader along without interruption or confusion.
Good narrative flow maintains momentum through pacing, transitions, and logical sequence: The novel's narrative flow kept me reading until 3 a.m.
Poor flow makes readers stumble or lose interest.
Writers speak of maintaining, disrupting, or restoring narrative flow.
- plotStoryline or land parcel
- story arcNarrative's overall shape
- coherenceLogical internal consistency
- pacingRate of movement
- rhythmPatterned stress and silence
keeping pace · suspense · dramatic tension · transitions · clarity · storytelling · tone · continuity · throughline · cohesion · momentum · arcs · dialogue · resolution · immersion · tension · foreshadowing · chronology
- storytellingstorytelling, story, tale, narrator, storyteller
- text cohesioncohesion, coherence, reference, transitions, connectives
- displaysLCD, LED, OLED, display stand, display case
- flowsworkflow, backflow, current, flux, circulation
- plot structureplot, structure, arc, story arc, dramatic arc
- stream of consciousnessstream of consciousness, interior monologue, free association, inner voice, thought process
narrative flowchoppiness
Irregular, bumpy quality
disjointedness · jerkiness · stagnation · abruptness · fits and starts